Fountain-brush



(No Model.) J STEVENS 2 Shets-Sfleet 1.

FOUNTAIN BRUSH.

No. 288,598. Patented Nov. 13, 1888.

WITNESSES INVENTOR 757 02 As'feiems" By his .Alltorneys N. PETERS Ptwmmmra ner. WnshinnlulL D. c.

(No Model.) '2 Sheets-Sheet 2;

8 J. $TEVENS r FOUNTAIN BRUSH.

No. 288,598. Patented Nov. 13, 188 3.

WITNESSES 8 q INVENTOR I Jbfi/L Steven/al By 711.; Attorneys @WWJ UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN s rnvnns, or NEENAH, Wisconsin.

FOUNTAIN-BRUSH.

SPECIFICATION farming part ofLetters Patent No. 288,598, dated November13 1883.

Application filed May 7. 1883. (No model.)

. fluidsupply from the fountain orreservoir to the brush under moreperfect control, to pro- 10 vide means whereby the tube or fluid-ductwill be kept from clogging, and to enable the operator. to adjust thelength and density of the bristles to suit the work in hand; and itconsists in combining with a reservoir for the rei 5 ception of a.marking or other fluid a tube leading therefrom to the brush, a valveclosing said tube, a spring holding said valve normallyshut, and adiaphragm forming a portion of one side of the reservoir, and in proX-2o imity to which the head of the valve-rod rests, whereby the valve maybe opened by pressing said diaphragm, and at the same time the airwithin the reservoir compressed to expel a portion of its contentsthrough the valve-open- 2 5 ing and tube into the brush; in combiningwiththe reservoir in a fountain-brush a tube leading from the reservoirto the brush, and a plunger passing through said tube, whereby it may beclosed, and whereby, also, it will be cleared of all obstructions; incombining with the reservoir in a fountain-brush, and atube leading fromsaid reservoir to the bristles or brush proper, a lateral inlet to saidtube, and

a plunger fitting close within the tube and .35 playing therethroughpast the'inlet to open or close the tube and to clear it fromobstructions; and in the various other combinations and details ofconstruction, hereinafter described and claimed.

4o For the purpose of fully illustrating the in- '45 cross-section ofthe foregoing to explain the clamping-band; Fig. 3, alongitudinalsection of a stenciling or marking brush; Fig. 4, a side elevation of ashoe-brush with the reservoir in section, and Fig. an end view of ashoebrushin section through the reservoir and feed-brush.

A is the reservoir, prolonged into a handle and filled through asuitable aperture, a, with its screw-cap, and B the brush fixed to saidreservoir at the proper end or in suitable rela- 5 5 tion thereto; 0, atube rising into the reservoir and extending down into the brush, so asto discharge fluid from the reservoir into the body of said brush, thatit may readily permeate the whole. .The fluid enters this tube throughan opening, 0, which maybe at the end of thetube under certainconditions, but

is advisably at the side and just within the. wall of the reservoir, sothat the contents of the latter may be entirely drained therefrom beforerefilling.

From near the inner end of the tube are offsets or ears 0, in which ispivoted a valve-lever, D, carrying at one end a valve, of leather,rubber, cork, or even of neatly-fitted metal, to rest upon or enter intothe valve-seat formed in connection with the induction opening throughthe tube. At the other end of the valve-1ever is pin-jointed a rod, d,which passes through and is steadied by abridge, d, 7 5 supported fromthe walls of the reservoir, and terminates in a head, (1 intended to becovered with leather or other soft material, for wear.

A coiled spring, (2, encircles the rod between the bridge and its head,and tends to force it constantly in a direction calculated to closethevalve and keep it closed. That portion of the reservoir in which the endof the rod plays between the bridge and head is set 8 5 off slightlyfrom the remainder, and is made, if possible, cylindrical, and formedwith external screw-threads, so that a cap or diaphragm, E, may befitted thereon and adjusted until its flexible diaphragm rests upon thego head of the rod or close thereto without interfering with the fit ofthe valve in its seat. WVhen this diaphragm is pressed the valve-1e verwill be moved, opening thevalve, and permitting fluidto enter theapertureinthe tube, 9 5 and the air in the reservoir will at the sametime be slightly compressed, aiding in the flow therefrom. When,however, it is released, it will spring back to place, and the valvewill be restored to its seat by the action of the coiledspring.

The construction thus far described is suffi- V cientfor beneficialresults. I prefer, however, in order to clear the tube of anyobstructions caused by the drying or clogging of paint or 1 is anunbroken ,rim or ring, G, flaring inother fluid therein, and also toguard against loss of contents from the reservoir when the valve isunintentionally opened, or is. out of order, to arrange a plunger, F, toslide horizontall y through the tube, fitting closely therein, andpermitted, by means of a stop, f, striking against the wall 'of thereservoir or other suitable barrier, to be withdrawnonly just sufficientto clear the eduction-aperture. At the point where it passes out of thereservoir it will be led through a stuffing-box, F, composed of ascrew-stud and screw-cap, receiving packing between them; or elsecomposed of a cork set into the wall of the reservoir, or formed in anyother suitable and efficient manner. At its extreme end it has a handle,whereby it may be operated.

Now, by working the plunger up and down it'is evident the tube will bekept clear, and that as long as it is down, past the eductionaperture,no flow will take place, whether the valve is open or closed. In orderto operate the brush, therefore, the plunger must first be withdrawn asfar as it will go, opening the apa erture, and the diaphragm thendepressed to open the valve; and to shut off the flow the diaphragm willsimply be released, and the plunger, if the brush is still in use, mayremain open, allowing fluid to be turned on from time to'time while thework is in progress, by simply manipulating the valve. \Vhen the work iscompleted and the valve finally closed and the brush to be laid aside,the plunger will of course be driven home, to eject any sediment and toclean the tube and guard against accidental loss of contents. Thisplunger alone, in connection with the tube and its lateral aperture, maybe used to allow and intermit the supply from the reservoir, the valvebeing dispensed with. This, however will give aless perfect command overthe brush than if the two are used together.

Some kinds of work demand a stiff brush, and others a soft brush. If thebristles are long, the brush will be much more flexible or soft than ifthey are short. It it not desirable to keep a separate brush for everydifferent kind of work, nor to trim down a brush once purchased to fitit for the first job in hand,

spoiling it thereby for some subsequent job.-

I propose, therefore, to apply to the brush an adjustable rim which maybe set out toward the ends of the bristles, or brought in nearer theirbase. One form of such rim is shown in connection with the paint-brush.It consists of a band, G, of flexible metal, having at each end a lug,9, through which lugs passes a screw-bolt, g, whereby its ends may bedrawn together orlet out, as desired. This band should be justsufficient to encircle .the brush, and being applied to the bristlesnear their base, it may be loosened and moved out toward their ends andagain clamped, thus making the effective length of thebristles anythingdesired. Another form which is appropriate for stenciling brushes andfor shoe-brushes wardly, to embrace the bristles, and at its base madecylindrical, so as to slideupon a cylin-' drical block in which saidbristles are held, or upon the cylindrical end of the reservoir. Thiscan be slipped in and out along the bristles,-

and with the same effect, though not perhaps to the same degree, as ifthe band and screw were used.

In paint-brushes, the handle, although for greater capacity forming apart of the reserline with the exception of the offset to receive thediaphragm.

In shoe-brushes the preferable construction is as follows: The body ofthe reservoir is a cylinder set transversely to the wooden block H,which receives the bristles of the polishingbrush. The handle A is setin the side of the cylinder at right angles to its axis, and slightlyoblique to its diameter at the point of attachment. The plunger runsthrough the axis of this cylinder, and its handle projects at oneend,while the feed-brush is at'the other, projecting over the side ofthe polishing-brush beneath. The valve-rod rises vertically, and theoffset receiving the diaphragm. is upon the top of the cylinder, wherethe diaphragm can be pressed by the forefinger as the handle is held inthe grasp. A removable cap is employed,also,- to cover the bristles andprevent them from drying and caking, a frequent de-- fect inshoe-brushes.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, substantially as here=inbefore set forth, in a fountain-brush, of a reservoir, a brush, a tubeleading from the reservoir into the body of the brush, and having alateral opening inside the reservoir close to the wall thereof, a valveclosing said lat eral opening, a valve-rod, and spring to hold saidvalve closed, and a diaphragm above the end of the valve-rod and exposedexternally, so that it may be depressed to open the valve.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in afountain-brush, of a reservoir, a tube leading from said reservoir intothe body of the brush, and having a lateral aperture inside thereservoir, and a clearingplunger playing through said tube and openingor closing the lateral aperture therein.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in afountain-brush, of a reservoir, a brush, a tube leading from thereservoir into the brush, and havingalateral opening, aclearing-plungerplaying through said tube, and a valve closing the lateral'opening.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in afountaimbrush, of a reservoir, a brush, a tube leading from thereservoir into the brush, a plunger playing through said tube, a valveand valve-lever to close said aperture, a valve-rod, and spring, and adia' phragm bearing upon the head of the valverod. i i a 5. Thecombination, substantially as herein- 5 before setfort'h, in afountain-brush, of a reservoir, a brush, a tube leading from thereservoir into the brush, and having alateral opening, a plunger workingthrough said tube, a valve closing the aperture, a valve-lever tooperate the valve, a valverod pin-jointed to the end of said lever andguided by abridge, a coiled spring holding the valve closed, and anadjustable diaphragm that may be set against or in close proximity tothe head of 15 the valve-rod when thevalve-rod is closed, whereby, whensaid diaphragm is depressed, the valve will be opened. a

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in areservoir shoe-brush, of a 2'0 the polishing-brush, the cylindricalreservoir set transversely to the body of said brush, the

7 o handle at right angles to the axis of said cylinder, the feed-brushat one end of the cylinder, the tube communicating with said feedbrush,the plunger playing through thetube from the other end of the cylinder,the valve and valve-rod, and the diaphragm at the top of the cylinder.

, JOHN STEVENS;

Witnesses;

J. SHIELLs, ALEX. MoNAUGnToN.

